Office of Emergency Medical Services

The Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Virginia’s system for saving lives at the incident scene, traditionally collaborates with numerous local and state government agencies, local rescue squads, educational institutions and health care facilities to ensure Virginians the highest quality emergency medical care possible.

New Patient Simulators Distributed Statewide for Emergency Medical Services Training
Last year, EMS purchased 20 patient training simulators that not only look like live patients, they respond in much the same way. The new SimMan patient simulators were distributed statewide to Virginia’s 15 accredited training sites, which annually teach more than 500 EMS providers skills necessary for certification.

The SimMan patient training simulators are more advanced and offer more training options than on previous simulators.

The simulators also help promote uniformity of education at EMS training sites and provide critical training skills for Virginia’s 32,877 EMS providers.

EMS Teams Up with Virginia Department of Fire Programs for Vehicle Rescue Training
To increase vehicle safety and patient extrication training for Virginia’s EMS providers, the Office of EMS offered instruction to EMS providers through the Department of Fire Programs Heavy and Tactical Rescue Vehicle Rescue Course. This increases the availability of courses and enhances the training of EMS responders throughout the state.

EMS and Virginia Department of Social Services Create New Training Program on Reporting Adult Abuse
The Office of EMS joined with the Department of Social Services to develop a training program for EMS providers called “Reporting Adult Abuse.” The one-hour program, produced by the Office of EMS, was broadcast in September 2004 on its emergency medical services satellite network reaching 50 sites across the state. A training video based on this program will be provided free to each of Virginia’s EMS agencies, Basic Life Support Instructors and Advanced Life Support Coordinators.

Crisis Interventions Continue for 9/11 First Responders
The Office of EMS planned and coordinated crisis intervention for first responders (EMS, fire, law enforcement and Critical Incident Stress Management team, massage therapy team members, and victim advocates) who responded to the Pentagon after the terrorist attack in September 2001. The program teaches responders how to handle stress related to their jobs. Monthly crisis interventions began in April 2004 for Virginia’s first responders in the northern Virginia area who assisted at the Pentagon and their families. These interventions will end in September 2005.